A version of this story first appeared on Colorado Public Radio.
In late December, Colorado’s largest utility shut off power to thousands of people around Boulder. Xcel Energy said it needed to cut the lights, because a downed power line could have ignited a wildfire. The shut-off sparked a backlash instead.
Losing power, during the shortest days of the year, was trying for Bob Carmichael. He’s no stranger to difficult conditions — he’s climbed mountains, explored the ends of the earth, and even made a film about extreme skiing…